Durston X Mid Pro 1 Review: Trail Tested for 500 Miles

[@durstongear]

Thanks for sharing your experience and glad you are mostly liking the tent and finding it to be a spacious and thoughtful 1P tent. For the some of the cons, the reason we use the 90 degree corner design is partly because these superlight zippers don't come in a curved version, but also it means you always know where the zippers pulls are, and avoiding the curve extends the life of the zippers. It does have some downsides to though as you mention. In our doublewall models we use more regular inner zippers and those do have a curve. We are planning a DCF fly for the double wall version, so that might be something you prefer because it would have the zipper curve, no corner struts, and double wall protection from condensation. It's also less see thru since there is a second interior walls that blocks a bit more light. Regarding the corner struts, the main thing that can improve the pitch of those is the pole tip connections. If you put your pole tips in those and slide them around it allow you to adjust the floor pitch. Usually it's best to slide them to the right a bit. I do agree though that on the 2023 model it was hard to get the corners standing straight so I have updated the floor pattern for 2024 to make the floor pitch better. So the 2024 model is improved here. I also updated the pitch of the fly a bit in mid-2023 so it is easier to get a tight pitch now too. For the pitch, I released a new pitching guide a month or two ago that is quite a bit more helpful than our old one and shows how to adjust for uneven ground. That is at 8:00 in the 'v2' of our pitching guide. Thanks again for the kind words and putting this together. - Dan

[@JoyfulRambler]

Hi Dan, thanks for the detailed response, it's very helpful! I hadn't considered the pole tip connection impacting the floor or corners. I use rubber tips on my poles and since I had to remove those to use the loops for the pole tips, I didn't do that often. (I tried putting the tip on top of the loop, but that was pretty iffy!) I'll definitely check out the new pitch video, and I'll look forward to seeing the 2024 model out in the trail. BTW, The DCF double wall is an interesting idea. It sounds like a good transition tent for people who aren't quite ready for a single-wall tent. all the best, Joey

[@woodchip2782]

I have a trick for you. To maintain your door bug screens up. Find a short 6” band of material and epoxy a small magnet on both ends. Just make sure the polarities are opposing. Roll the screen up and use your little band on the same magnetized bands of the actual doors.😊

[@flindersmj]

I much prefer double zippers as I can open only one (the closest one) in order to access my outside gear at night. Also, I think Durstan should change the doors... a full screen should be changed to a half-screen so as to help with the rain splashing problems.

[@anthonypicone3463]

I have the same problems with the corners not being straight. 1st, getting a perfect rectangle and having the lines at a 45-degree angle when staking out is very important, which I'm sure you know. When you're staking out the corners, pull kind of tight but not too tight. Then, adjust the tension on the guy lines to tighteen a bit more after the corners are staked out. You have to fiddle around a bit after it's pitched. One thing to do is angle the trekking poles, so the tips are slightly to the right. (That helps straighten the corner to the left of you if you're facing the door from the outside.)Then try and raise the poles again if you can. It took me about 20 pitches to figure it out but once you do, it's easy and worth it.

[@Mtnsunshine]

Thanks for the review, Joy. Yes, tents are a major investment, so hearing real-life experiences are invaluable.

[@whichjuan]

I really appreciated your review! It’s the most unbiassed review I’ve watched.

[@JoyfulRambler]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@rafaelgelpi2718]

Thank you for these videos, I did a lot of hiking and camping earlier in life, I’m in my 70’s and I’d like to do day trips and overnight hikes. In my 20’s I started hiking and camping with backpacks which I found in the local dump, probably WW2 as well as a cotton sleeping bag I purchased at an Army and Navy store, which I used for winter camping in NY’s Catskills! Eventually I got better equipment which I still have but, is heavier than I want on a hike. These candid reviews are great

[@JoyfulRambler]

Thank you, I’m so happy you enjoy the videos!

[@lilcwa]

I have other Dyneema shelter systems (including some nice ones I have made DIY from DCF raw materials), and I have used them in a variety of conditions, so I appreciate their advantages and disadvantages. For the $300 difference between the DCF X-Mid Pro 1 and the standard silpoly X-Mid 1, I’d find other ways to save the 12-ounce difference in the complete package (still sub 32 oz) while appreciating the superior durability, opacity, and acoustics of the silpoly version.

[@tearoha.hohaia]

Kia ora Joey. Thanks for your review, For those two bathtub corners tied to the vestibules, I found the same. And like you, I want a well-set floor. So I unhitched each of them from the corner stake, added two more stakes, and staked them separately. Ngā mihi - Te Aroha

[@JoyfulRambler]

Thanks for the tip, that’s a great idea!

[@jenniferj7588]

Cut the cord to the stays make a loop sew them up then put the cord from the out side through both loops this should keep the stays straight just make sure the lines on the stays are even ...

[@jenniferj7588]

For closer to the ground pitch shorten the four corner lines all the way to the tent material then stake ...

[@jenniferj7588]

I have the xmid 2 polyester version one It dose not stretch when wet or hold water . Same as dynema but tad more weight ...

[@HikerAT24]

I sold my durston pro 1 recentally, had some of the same issues as you. Purchased a hyperlight mid 1. My two favorite things are I was able to set up perfect first try on just over a minute (was shocked) and the bathtub floor is so tight. Ohh and only one trekking pole needed, not a terrible tent was just not for me.. I know some of the updates are making it better for sure but think I am sticking with my hyperlight mid 1. Did amazing in a large rain for days.

[@doughus4287]

Question about your HMG Mid 1, what would you say the tallest person could fit in it?

[@cheri7828]

Enjoyed tge review, found it very honest. I have tye Pro 2 but some of your issues are the same as mine, especially with the zippers.

[@bubbalovesoatmealadventure108]

No condensation with our X-Mid Pro 1.92 yet (or rain)...we are so ready tho...with our towel in the wall pocket. Great review, thanks.

[@DB-yu3de]

Congrats on going above 4k subscribers!

[@JoyfulRambler]

Thank you! Aiming for 5k now. 😀😉

[@davidterrie7661]

Nice thorough review. Problems with pitching my old Tarptent Motrail led me buy a BA Copper spur HV UL1. But saving over a pound is pretty compelling. Despite some issues with pitching it, it looks way easier than the Motrail. Hmm.

[@laurahubbard2169]

A lovely review - I too recently grabbed this and took it out to the Olympics. After watching all the videos, I thought the pitch would be so easy but I was endless frustrated like you and maybe even more so! I want to love it and haven't given up yet but I dunno. Also loved your CT videos ( I did the CT two summers ago and it was so nice to revisit it with you).

[@JoyfulRambler]

Thank you. I’m glad the review was helpful and that you enjoyed the CT videos. Happy trails!

[@donniebel]

Very good review, especially since it’s after a few hundred miles of usage. I had an international trek a year ago and I was ready to upgrade to a dyneema tent. I had narrowed the choice between this and the Tarptent Dipole 1 Li. The Durstan wasn’t available in time so Dipole it was (very happy with it). Interesting that you aren’t a fan of the two zipper doors. Many reviewers like that feature and I think that demonstrates how often gear features come down to personal preference- thanks for describing why that was a con for you. I did chuckle when you described the translucent nature of the fabric. It does give one pause in a crowded situation and if you pitch in the open with a full moon it is very bright inside- something not noticeable in a double wall nylon or poly tent.

[@JoyfulRambler]

When I used my Nemo Hornet on the Appalachian Trail, there were nights when I asked the moon to turn itself down. It never worked! 😉

[@Henning_Rech]

I am in the same decision process - Xmid1pro or Dipole 1 Li. I dislike the tip-up mounting of the trekking poles on the TT, and the adapter they sell doesn't convince me either. - Can you please comment on this?

[@Teddy-fx6fx]

I really think that this tent has alot going for it. My only concern is the size for a 1p tent. The foot print is 46.5 square feet. (The new one might be a little smaller)I have 2 1p tents, 1 is 29 square feet and the other is 34 square feet. Sometimes I have trouble finding a spot for those tents. Here in the north east you are supposed to camp at designated sites, and just last week in New York State there was literally 1 spot that I could barely fit my 29 square foot tent. (X mid is 17.5 square feet bigger) If I brought my other 1 man tent I would not have fit. After a long day of hiking and you get to camp close to dark the last thing I want to worry about is can I pitch my tent anywhere. And that spot in New York, I was the only camper,if anyone else was there I would have been in trouble. The next campsite was almost 10 miles away. The reason I chose a 1 man tent is so I can pitch in most places.

[@vereddar6420]

Excellent review! Thank you!

[@lanceshaw4421]

Enjoyed your review, thanks. I keep going back and forth between the regular and pro versions. I'm coming from a Sierra Designs Flashlight 1FL (29.7 oz total weight: tent, stuff sack, foot end pole and 6 stakes) which I love but noticing the seem tape is starting to delaminate in spots and degrade in others so I'm a little worried to take it out now. It's a sil/poly body and sil/nylon floor like the regular X-mid and I've never had any problems with it so I'm thinking I don't really need to spend the extra $$ for the pro BUT I do like the thought of saving 3/4 of a pound....

[@SIR_ALEC1969]

Thank you so much for informative reviews. As I consider purchasing it from Japan, it is so helpful for me(^^)

[@JoyfulRambler]

You are so welcome!

[@TheWarder500]

Great review!

[@TheHikingChick1]

Appreciated your review of this tent from a women's perspective. I currently have the Nemo Hornet 2P and am wanting to shed weight and try a trekking pole tent. I don't think I get much of a weight savings with the sil-poly version so considering the pro.... but oh the price, and I too thought about the lack of privacy. Have you contacted Dan about the issue with the corner stays? I'm wondering what his response would be. That would bug me as well. I had to make a few adjustments to the way I pitch the Hornet to get those corner stays to stand up straight. Anyway, great review!!

[@trakyboy5128]

Dear joyful, U r not alone with these issues !!!! For me the condensation was a deal-breaker !! I returned my tent. I learned that I want a double wall tent that was one of the big things. I definitely definitely agree with you about the zippers drove me crazy !!!!!! I want two zippers but I wanted to be one continuous run so that I can open the top and get more ventilation or stick my hand out throw something out or whatever I want that option but it just drove me crazy at that corner I did not like that !!!!. And the thing is as many ultralight tents are being made you think those kind of things would be nailed down by now 😮?!!!! I like a tent that has a loop coming from the floor for my trekking poles set into to help keep the floor under tension during the night !!!!!! I may be wrong but I think unless you're a long distance through hiker that more and more people are going to start going back to traditional tents that work, proven. I think that's why tents like Big Agnes, Nemo, black diamond and some of the others are starting to make a bigger come back. In my humble opinion I'd rather carry an extra several ounces for a tent that works rather than trying to cheat a few ounces here and there and end up with something that's almost there but not quite. Anyway peace, and may the trail be with you 🤠

[@michaelbutler4961]

Any DCF-type tent is likely to be prone to condensation, a 2-person DCF would be less prone to condensation with one person sleeping in it vs a 1-person DCF tent, for the DCF floor version is only 3.4 oz more and the extra 3.4oz would solve a lot of problems.

[@davegalloway7531]

Dan is thinking of doing a double walled version of the X-Mid Pro. Currently I use the Lanshan 1 Plus with the 4 season T-zip inner. Most single walled tents suffer from condensation problems, so do double walled. The only difference is you dont notice the condensation because of the inner.

[@JoyfulRambler]

A double wall would be interesting.

[@davegalloway7531]

@@JoyfulRambler I think it would also be a top seller for Dan.

[@randalmartin22]

You mention at the beginning that the fly being off the ground a bit created too much air flow. Wouldn’t that be a good thing to mitigate the condensation problems?

[@JoyfulRambler]

Yes for air flow, not so great in cold weather or bad storms.

[@timmo971]

It seems like to me that with a little creativity these pitching problems could be solved. Like the squareness on uneven ground… just raise the lowest end with a longer peg string? And there’s always customisation like if the magnet fails you could get one or more toggles sewn on as backup. I don’t know I haven’t got one yet but I’ve had a lot of tent and tent tent styles in my history. I’ll get one as soon as I can afford it.

[@MtnWanderer-TieDye-]

Is there a reason you didn't go with the double wall (non pro) version? I purchased the non pro earlier this year and have taken it on 3-4 trips. So far I really love it for many reasons. The two biggest reasons are price and not being see thru. The things you had trouble with seem to only be an issue with the pro version. I do wonder if those things have been rectified with the latest batch. I know they are always trying to improve. I said I'd never own/like a trekking pole tent but I have totally eaten my words. This has been the easiest tent to erect. The mesh inner could stand to be a tiny bit larger but honestly, I can handle it just like it is.

[@JoyfulRambler]

I used the double wall version for a week on the PCT last year and really liked it. I expected to like the Pro version just as much - plus save weight. I’d highly recommend that version, which seems like a great value. (The one used was the very first iteration, sold on MassDrop and borrowed from a friend.)

[@tomnoyb8301]

Condensation is very controllable through pitch-height and door opening. This author prefers straight zippers, as curve chews-up door-opening's real-estate. Corner bungies were a inch or so short on that model. Simply untie and retie the bungie, preserving that extra inch. Regarding low-pitch: this author sewed grosgrain loops in really tight to the corner grosgrain to enable tent-stakes to go directly through as closely to the tent as possible. Otherwise, the few inches of line as-built, prevents a truly low-pitch. Add bungie extension with magnet to zipper-bungie to solve zipper-door opening issue. Make it long enough to reach the main-door magnet.

[@JoyfulRambler]

Sounds like some creative mods. Thank you for sharing!

[@vanessawatson1768]

Thanks for a great review. I love hearing from women what they think. I’m from Australia and wondering the best tent to get to do the PCT. I am debating getting the pro 1 or the Xmid 1. I was thinking Xmid 1 but was worried about space to set up. What would you take on the PCT now if you had a choice, not worrying about money. I’m so stuck or my other option would be a nemo osmo. Would love your thoughts thanks even if it isn’t a Durston. Thanks Vanessa.

[@JoyfulRambler]

Glad it was helpful! I used the X-Mid 1 when I started the PCT last year. I was concerned about the space required, but didn’t really have any trouble. I crammed it into some pretty small little areas! I think X-Mod 1 and the Pro have a pretty similar footprint. A differentiator would be the ability to take off the rain fly and enjoy the stars. A lot of people end up cowboy camping on the PCT when the weather is nice. If you’re not comfortable with that, being able to look up through the mesh is a good compromise, although a double wall tent does weigh little bit more. If I were to attempt the PCT again, I would take the pro to save weight, and swallow my fears about cowboy camping on beautiful nights, lol!

[@vanessawatson1768]

Thank you very helpful.

[@nathandolenc554]

Does the X Mid tents offer the option of getting a thicker DCF like Zpacks does?

[@JoyfulRambler]

At the time I bought mine, the Pro version was brand new and there was only one Dyneema option. That may have changed, I would check the Durston website.

[@nathandolenc554]

@@JoyfulRambler I have the .75 oz/sqyd version of DCF on the walls of my Duplex. I’d hate to get a thinner version and run into problems.

[@semo7566]

Tnx for the review! Going to sell Xmid pro 1 as pitch is a pain on uneven terraine. Considering Bonfus Middus 1p double wall (inner bought separately) that isn't made in country that has concentration camps

[@kmichaelp4508]

Well we have concentration camps in the USA! It’s called my house! I’m too old to get rid of the overseer 😂

[@markdavid801]

Any regrets months later from moving on from the Hornet 2p? In the same boat!

[@JoyfulRambler]

No regrets! I still have the Nemo and use it when my dog is going with me. I would also use it if I wanted to be able to take the rain fly off and enjoy it staring at the stars at night. The Durston is great for fast and light long distance backpacking. I’ve love to try the newer version which fixes some of the issues i found, but it’s not in the budget right now.

[@markdavid801]

@@JoyfulRambler great points to remind me of! It seems having multiple tents can be ideal depending on the purpose. Thanks again!

[@Alpinenutclimbing]

What size, brand, and quantity of steaks did you use?

[@JoyfulRambler]

I use the 7” titanium stakes from Lawson Equipment www.lawsonequipment.com/products/titanium-tent-stakes, plus a couple of MSR groundhog minis. I generally only used 6 stakes for the corners and vestibules. The extras are handy in heavy weather or if you lose one.

[@rafaelgelpi2718]

Can you use 2 sticks instead of hiking poles to set up the tent?

[@JoyfulRambler]

You could if they’re the right length.

[@MoosebearAdventures]

No one talk much but Durston (X-Mid) cloned this tent from the Sierra Designs - High Route 🙂 Sierra Designs - High Route Was realised in 2016 and Xmid came out 2018. Sometimes reality not as you want, fact is a fact 😊

[@cb96blount]

durston still makes a superior.

[@upupandawaayyyyyyyy]

I have watched about 30 of these reviews for the x-mid series, and read most the comments. You have made the same comment on EVERY SINGLE THREAD. Is there a reason you feel you need to do that? Or are you just weird like that?

[@MoosebearAdventures]

@@upupandawaayyyyyyyy People need to know the truth about this copy-tent 😊⛺